


The End of Eternity

by emeralddarkness



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 06:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6970387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeralddarkness/pseuds/emeralddarkness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How many times can you lose a family?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The End of Eternity

It didn’t take long for word to spread, of course. Galadriel, once Artanis,’s first thought upon hearing had been that there had to be some kind of mistake. After, when she'd found out that rumor had been true for once, all she could think was that surely Lúthien would see reason if things were properly laid out, surely she would see that what she was doing _wasn’t_ reasonable. Wasn’t right.

She hadn’t intended to argue with her, and it hadn’t started as an argument, but eventually seemed to somehow turn into one as she lost her temper, even with her the only one trying to argue. Lúthien hardly seemed to care, which was one of the things that was making her lose her temper in the first place. Lúthien had always been stubborn, but never about something like this, and Galadriel didn’t know what she might do that could make her understand. She had to bite her tongue against an impulse to yell it at her, as though an increase in volume might lead to clarity, but did reach out to grab her and put things as bluntly as she could think how, because maybe that would make her pay attention.

“You’re going to _die_.”

Lúthien took a small step backwards, only far enough to pull her shoulder from under Galadriel’s grip. Galadriel stood as though stricken.

“I know.” Her voice was so terribly calm, even blasé, as though she was talking about nothing more interesting than the weather, once again Galadriel wanted to grab her and do something to _make_ her understand; she might have, had she been able to move. Lúthien stood still just beyond her reach, just watching her, and after a few moments there was a small, sad hint of a smile around the edges of her mouth and eyes. “I’ve been dead before, remember? It’s nothing to fear.”

The world seemed very loud, and very empty. Galadriel felt her heartbeat thrumming, the blood pumping through her wrists and her neck, breath rushing down her throat into her lungs, everything beating to a single rhythm: alive, alive, alive. Lúthien seemed alive, but she might as well be dead already. She’d decided she was going to be.

Galadriel’s voice felt as though it was cracking, and the jagged edges slipped free of each other to catch in her throat as she tried to speak again. “You can’t.”

Lúthien did look sad now, almost pitying. “I’m sorry. But my choice is already made. I can’t change it, even for you, or Mother, or Father, because then I’d lose him. I can’t lose him. I wish you understood.”

“No,” Galadriel said, and it was all that she could manage in reply. Her voice was soft, and helpless, and small.

Lúthien leaned in to kiss her cheek, gently, and the very kindness in the gesture made her wish that she could hate her. She had paused in front of her, with her eyes full of a fierce light that burned as brightly as the silmaril she’d returned with, and a mouth devoid of the words she needed. There were none that she could find. Lúthien remained in that position for a few moments, then shook her head, turned away and left. Galadriel stood perfectly still, unable to move, until she finally felt the tears upon her skin.


End file.
